{4.29.2012} a challenge…

Or two or three or four.

It has been a crazy weekend.  Not only has my mojo decided to challenge me, but so has mother nature.  On Saturday night, we were headed to get something for dinner when we noticed a poor dog who had been hit in the road.  Unfortunately, he did not make it and his sister kept running out into traffic to check on him.  I yelled for my husband to stop and I jumped out to snatch her up before she was hit as well.  Luckily, she had a collar and we were able to return her to her owners.  Having two fur babies of my own, my heart was broken for her lost brother, but I took comfort in the fact that she was able to make it back home.

Then, later that night we had an unwanted visitor… a scorpion!  Ew… ew… ew.  We were watching T.V. when I noticed some movement coming out from under the chair.  I glanced over and once it registered what it was, I promptly FREAKED OUT!  My knight in a shining football jersey killed it with a shoe and then I spent the next half hour searching the house for more with a black light.  Oh the horror.  I didn’t sleep much that night.

And the final test to my nerves came Sunday morning.  While my husband was working in the yard he found a baby bird who could not yet fly.  I was coloring some images when he came in with the poor thing in his hand.  Now what to do with it???  We attempted to put it back in the nest (a mere 15-20 feet up in a tree) and failed miserably.  After some internet research, the best thing to do was to put it back on the ground and let it be.  Apparently a fledgling bird is attempting to stretch its wings to fly and the parents will still take care of it.  Until it flies away, we must go outside with our dogs to make sure the poor thing will not be harmed.

Now that I have shared all my trials with mother nature, let’s get back to my mojo challenges.  What is up with my mojo not wanting to cooperate lately?  I just stare blankly at all my beautiful stamps and supplies.  What do I do in a mojo crisis?  Play in some of my favorite challenges of course.

  The easiest of the four challenges I chose came from Simon Says Stamp Challenge – anything goes.  Ha.  My mojo liked that.  And since I tend to get most of my Hero Arts stamps from Simon Says Stamp, I decided to pull some of those out for the card.  Now, I needed a sketch.  I’ve been wanting to play with the new Retro Sketches, no time like the present.  Luckily, I adored this week’s sketch.

I used the stamped flowers to mimic the cascade along the side of the sketch.  I also used the chevron and the sentiment in place of the ribbon or string indicated in the sketch.  I really wanted to a single layer card.  Instead, I added some twine knots to the center of the flower.

Ok, I have a sketch, I have the stamps and now I just needed some colors.  Enter this week’s Play Date Cafe colors.  Such pretty, rich and elegant colors.  I didn’t have the dusk blue, so I used both my paris dusk blue and charcoal ink to hopefully come close to the required colors.  I think it turned out pretty close.  I’m actually quite happy with it.

And last, I needed a theme.  Cas-ual Friday’s challenge everyone to include flowers or trees in their project.  Yay, the stamps I pulled from Hero Arts had flowers.  🙂

Thank you for hanging in till the end.  I sure hope this week is much calmer.  The blog will be active though.  I’ll be back tomorrow with some Unity fun.  I have 3, count them, 3 big posts for Unity, Print Candee and Paper Made Bakery on Tuesday!!!  And more.  LOVE the first of the month, so much yumminess to share.


23 Comments

  1. Laura Davis

    This is so lovely!
    Thanks for playing at CAS-ual Fridays!
    Laura

  2. tenianelson

    Love this dearie!!!

  3. lostinpaper

    Glad to hear you made it through the weekend!
    Such a fab take on the sketch & colours! Look forward to hopping with you very soon!

  4. Judith Gowdy

    Boy! Quite the eventful weekend 🙂 Clever you fitting in 4 different challenges with no mojo – and this card is fabulous.

  5. Lynn

    Ahh…sounds like you need Monday off to relax! Love your card. The chevron background is perfection.

  6. Jessi

    Oh, Lisa…big hugs. I recently saw a dog hit by a car, so I can definitely imagine your horror there – and to have another dog in danger like that at the same time? It makes me shudder. My oldest son got to hold a scorpion as part of a reptile ‘show’ in the fall, but let me say that controlled experience is the only one I’d ever want. Forget disliking spiders in the house – you win, hands down. Except I’d be afraid to put my hands down. And 🙁 on the baby bird – so hard to just let nature take care of itself when it’s involving a wee babe. It just seems cruel, even when it’s exactly the right thing. Wow, did your weekend kinda suck. ((((more hugs)))))
    Challenges are so great for kickstarting my mojo – sometimes just sitting down & making something, anything,is enough to get back on track! I like the colours – and that chevron background is so cool 🙂

  7. Rockwell Designs

    I’m sorry you had a traumatic weekend Lisa. 🙁 The poor dog and baby bird. 🙁 Hope your week goes much more smoothly than your weekend did!

    LOVE your CAS approach to the sketch! Very pretty card! I’m soooo glad you played along with us at RetroSketches!!! 🙂

  8. Jen W.

    What a crazy weekend! I’m so sad for the dog but grateful that you happened along and managed to rescue his sister. Wonder how she’s doing without him…
    I would freak out about a scorpion too. There aren’t any here but we have giant centipedes which scare the life out of me!
    Love this sweet one layer card! Glad you put your mojo in it’s place and showed it who’s boss!

  9. Emily Leiphart

    I love this card! Fabulous use of the sketch and those stamps. The more you use those flowers, the more I feel I need that set. 😉

  10. Emily Keaton

    I hear ya on the mojo moveout, Lisa! But this card is a gorgeous one, so I’d say you’ve still got it! And you definitely rocked the PDCC colors. Your card uses them perfectly!

  11. Virginia Lu

    I adore your stamping on this card, Lisa! The colors and layering are superb!! that little bits of twines are especially lovely! I’m glad that you join the fun with us at CAS-ual Fridays! xo

  12. Jackie

    You did have a bad weekend…but your card doesn’t show it! I LOVE it! Great card for mailing!

  13. Colleen Dietrich

    LIsa, you sure had my heart strings tugged with your tales of the animals you’ve encountered recently. I love animals, and to hear when one’s been injured or in danger (or sadly, killed), it sure does concern me. 🙁

    Your card has an appropriate sentiment; thank YOU for the kindnesses you bestowed upon Mother Nature (although, I’d have to agree with you on the scorpion thing).

    So glad you joined us this week at THe Play Date Cafe. 🙂

  14. Lindsey

    This is what you do in a mojo crisis? Looks very fine to me. 🙂 Especially after the weekend you had, too!

  15. Kimberly Lane

    Lisa – wow! You have had some bad experiences lately! Those poor doggies! At least you found the owner for sissy…to bad about brother :…( I love dogs so much! But I actually have a cute story for you about scorpions (yes I just used cute and scorpions in the same sentence!). So, I’m a firefighter/paramedic, and one time we got called because this little 5 year old boy got stung by a scorpion on his foot. Aside from being in pain and crying, he was fine. He’s sitting on the couch, and I’m crouched down talking to him. I asked to him to wiggle his toes for me, and he reaches down with his hand, grabs his toes, and wiggles them. It was the cutest thing ever. I had to rephrase that one to include “without using your hand”. Anyway – your card is great, and I’m sure sister dog would send you this card if she could! Have a better week!

  16. veronica

    very cool layering!
    i don’t know what i would do if i saw a scorpion in the house!!! it would def freak me out!
    hope you don’t have more!

  17. Sav O'G

    OH, Lisa! What a crazy weekend–poor pup! I’m so glad you were able to save the sister! And the scorpion!!! OHHHHHHHHHH MY! I would have freaked out as well!! And that poor little birdie! I pray he can fly away. <3

    This is a gorgeous card! LOVE the flower stamping and the twine center!! LOVE the chevrons as well:) You did a great job with these challenges! THANKS for joining in the fun and playing along with us over at the PDCC:)

    ps…I totally understand about the mojo–mine was gone all weekend too. Next time that happens, give me a call on skype and we can chat it up and craft together:) That usually helps my designing/etc. 🙂 HUGS!!!!!!!!

  18. Ruby 2 Shoes

    Hey Lisa, it sounds like you’ve had a full on week! Not only cardmaking but helping nature too, is there no end to your talents?!! Your card is gorgeous, I love how you’ve combined all of the challenges. I find any more than 3 completely messes up my little brain lol. Thanks so much for joining in the fun with us over at The Play Date Cafe!

  19. Jinny Newlin

    Oh, my gracious, Lisa! What a weekend! A scorpion, too! For real?! Where on earth do you live?! I need to make sure I never visit there!

    Your card is beautiful! LOVE those chevron stripes, and the one layer design is perfect! Thanks so much for playing along with us this week at The Play Date Cafe!

  20. Kasia

    Wow, what a weekend. 🙁
    I’m sure that family is so grateful for your kindness in bringing their pup back home. I’m sorry.

    I must say, your card is gorgeous! I love those colours together and it’s such a wonderful one layer card. 🙂
    Thanks for playing along with us at RetroSketches!

  21. Larissa Heskett =)

    WOW!! What a FUN card!! =) I LOVE all of the layered stamping!! THANSK for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEK!! =)

  22. Laurie W

    Lisa this is gorgeous! I love the layered stamping! Thanks for playing along with CAS-ual Fridays and Retro Sketches!

Your comments really make my day, thank you!